Unions to Evaluate Rosselló’s Labor Reform

SAN JUAN – Union leader Federico Torres Montalvo announced that a meeting with other labor leaders will be held Tuesday to analyze the labor reform bill proposed by Gov. Ricardo Rosselló.

“Once again, they are aiming the cannons at unions, toward reducing workers’ economic benefits. We have already said that when workers’ incomes are reduced, far from boosting the economy, it worsens it,” Torres Montalvo said in a radio interview with Radio Isla 1320.

Gov. Ricardo Rosselló

To this, he added that one of his biggest worries is that the Labor Transformation and Flexibility Act won’t address the issue of industrial incentives. The union representative explained that taxes forgiven to corporations to create jobs and increase investments on the island don’t comply with what has been established.

Regarding the availability of a flexible work schedule, or flexitime, Torres Montalvo said it will be necessary to amend another legislation to justify working more than eight hours daily without incurring the need to pay, because the commonwealth’s Constitution establishes eight-hour workdays.

“More than eight hours daily is considered overtime, and must be paid either double time or half time,” he said.

The document of more than 100 pages contemplates eliminating the Closing Law, establishing flexitime as a viable option for employers and changes to the Maternity Act.

The meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m., will include the Puerto Rican Workers’ Central, the Unitary Coordinator of State Workers and the Central Federation of Workers.